Essential element #3 – Continual Learning

Reframe: Invert the Pyramid

The most successful organisations and teams know that they are only as strong as their less productive service, unit or individuals. Whether you deliver services or manufacture products, your ultimate profitability and reputation are directly correlated to how well your ‘weakest’ operations or operators perform. If they perform below the level required, then they will negate the performance of the highest performers.

The top level of any organisation always has the opportunity to perform since they are in charge of their tasks and schedules. The middle layer often risks becoming overwhelmed as they receive work from three directions. However, the lower level is only fully utilised when provided with opportunities, incentives, and, most importantly, training to perform at an optimal level.

Investing in training for the most junior or least experienced 20% of your organisation is a neglected way to improve your overall performance and reduce the organisational overwhelm that will occur in other parts of the organisational structure if this section of the company is not being fully utilised.

So the reframe here is to make sure enough budget and resources are invested in the ‘widest section’ of the organisational pyramid if you want to radically improve overall performance

Rethink: Mindset, Skillset or Toolset?

The default method of learning is still to focus on improving the skillset of individual’s concerned based on the belief that it is a lack of skill that is restriction performance. Whilst that is often true when we are learning something for the first time the reality as we become more experienced and are elevated into more senior roles it is the mindset which dictates performance as much if not more than either skillset or toolset.

Whether we think we can or can’t, we are probably right is the maxim that comes into play. It is our belief in our own abilities not the abilities themselves which restricts an individuals performance.

This is why coaching is increasingly viewed as a valuable investment rather than an unnecessary expense by progressive companies. Whether in sports, daily life, or the workplace, our capacity to replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations allows us to perform at or even above our actual ability.

Whether it is using apps on phones, getting leaders to learn to coach, or investing in coaching directly, having an organisational way of improving mindset is becoming a real differentiator when we all have access to learning the same skills and working with the same tools.

Refocus: Practice in private to perform in public

Aspirational Formula One drivers spend countless hours racing around the circuits where current drivers compete long before they ever get to sit in an actual racing car. The time spent on simulators honing their skills far exceeds the time they will spend behind the wheel. Similarly, in the armed forces, the time dedicated to practising drills or conducting simulations constitutes the majority of what most military personnel do.

There are clear reasons for both examples regarding costs and resources. However, given the approach and investment in simulating exercises, I am always surprised why companies don’t adopt a similar strategy to enhance their team performances by investing in simulations to foster continuous learning within their organisations.

Why wouldn’t you have the least experienced performers learn in a classroom environment first, rather than on the job? Surely, it is more cost-effective and better for self-confidence for errors to be made away from customers or clients, in an environment where lessons can be absorbed and embedded, rather than in the heat of battle?

Organisations that understand the concept and benefits of continuous learning utilise simulations as a key element to ensure all employees have ongoing opportunities to acquire new skills, learn from others, and develop situational understanding.

Continual learning is a win/win/win scenario available to all companies. Employees gain confidence, companies achieve better performances, and clients receive a better experience.

What’s not to like here?